This is the website/blog of Philosopher Stephen Law. Stephen is Provost of Centre for Inquiry UK, Senior Lecturer in philosophy at Heythrop College, University of London, and editor of the Royal Institute of Philosophy journal THINK. He has published several books (see sidebar). His other blog is THE OUTER LIMITS: http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/blibnblob
For school talks and media email Stephen: think-at-royalinstitutephilosophy.org

Saturday, February 14, 2009

International Conference in Gothenburg/Sweden - Why is Secularism Essential?

8 March 2009

Why is Secularism essential?

Organization for Women's Liberation is organizing a one day conference in commemoration of 8 March, International women's day on the impact of religion on the situation and status of women. Why is secularism essential? In this conference veteran women's right activists and scholars are coming together to analyze the devastating effects of rise of religious movements and religion's influence in the running of state in many countries on the situation of women: the effect of catholic church, orthodox church, Judaism and political Islam will be discussed.

We are pleased to announce that following organisations have supported our conference:

Centre for Inquiry

European Feminist Initiative

International Network against Honour Crimes

Women for Peace (Sweden)

Guest speakers so far confirmed:

Homa Arjomand; coordinator of No Sharia Campaign; Canada/Iran

Soad Baba Aissa; European Feminist Initiative; France/Algeria

Imma Barbarossa; Partito della Rifondazione Communista, Italy

Julie Bindle Journalist; a founder of feminist law reform NGO Justice for Women, and of the Feminist Coalition against Prostitution; England

Malene Busk; women's right activist, Center for Inquiry; Denmark

Buthina Canaan Khoury; Film maker; Palestine

Beth Ciesielski; Centre for Inquiry, Rumania/USA

Hugo Esterla; Centre for Inquiry, Italy/Argentina

Caroline Fourest; writer; columnist, activist and a Member of Libre Pense; France

Maria Hagberg; MD in social work and chair of Network against Honour Crimes; Sweden

Lilian Halls French; sociologist, President of the European Feminist Initiative; France

Boriana Jonsson; Member of the Coordinating Committee of European Feminist Initiative, Bulgaria/Sweden